Final Tactics
by Renegade Zero
Summary: Freedom. Survival. A life. That's not much to ask for, is it? But when you have the power of the very elements at your fingertips, sometimes it can seem as far out of your reach as the moon is.
1. Solitude

**Disclaimer**; I don't own pokemon. I may finaly have a Mew. But no I don't own pokemon. _-Mocks the Lawyers-_

**A/N**; Damn uploading... -.- it took away the altarisk and squiggle things above the tab button. And the underscore._ -Shakes a fist at the new feature-_

_Shinigami;_ Hah-Ha! _-Laughs heartlessly at the Authors note- _

**AN**; You _**sooo**_ want to die. Don't you muse! _-Waves a mallet at Shinigami-_

_Shinigami; _o.o EEP _-runs-_

**AN**; .....

**_Renegade_**; ... I loose more Muses that way.

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«_Prolouge_; Solitude»  
  
_Day One hundred and five of Year Five. Test subjects Number Two through Eight are showing signs of progress while the rest are stagnent in the tests. While subject Number One is improving rapidly. After enforcing the therapy onto her as with the other centers. Number Seven concerns us, as his powers have now developed into control over Ice and Fire, while Number Three has become deadly with Electricity while Four and Two share the same controll over two rather unknown elements of Steel and Darkness. Six and Eight had yet to show their elements, and the assumption is that they'll be the same, either Water or Rock. Finaly Five has mastered Grass.  
  
And our first subject has developed into something very, very special. One has learned controll over Fire, Psyche and we have started the therapy to make it where she shall soon know how to controll Air.  
  
Raymond - Out_.  
  
Raymond; one of the Scientist of Giovanni's now defunct cloning program, absently rubbed the bridge of his nose as he turned from the massive super computer and walked over to what appeared to be a window. Although it's view was not that of a grass filled glade, the window actually overlooked another room. Much like the one Raymond was standing in now. Sterile white, barely anything else for decor. Slick marble tiles was the floor in the room and a single chair was nailed to the floor to keep it in place.  
  
And sitting in the chair with her chest covered in a straight jacket, head imprissoned in something akin to a helmet with no visor and heavy with how she was holding her head at an akward angle. And to top it off, she was bound and shackled to the metal seat. A smirk graced the slightly weathered and wrinkled face of Raymond Brown. The young woman was the pride and joy of himself and the staff. While not as strong as the others it seemed, their love of her power stemmed from it being thrice as powerful for each short lived burst. They didn't care how it left the girl sickeningly weak to any sort of counter strike. Nor did it matter that only making her learn more moves and have more therapy would undoubtedly kill her in the end.  
  
Sephinraph Coyle. A person they had been working on for nearly five years since she turned eleven and had been caught while sneaking across the private grounds in search of a elusive pokemon. She had had a Vulpix and a Girafarig when caught. Both pokemon had been slaughtered to gather their DNA fully. Back then it was nearly impossible to do so and keep the subject pokemon alive for more than a day. But now with advances, they could do so repeatedly with synthisized product to substitute the real thing. But with Sephinraph, they still used real gene therapy on her, and nothing synthisized ever got near her body.  
  
The young woman turned her head and stared blindly at a window she could not see, as if she could _feel _the scientist. But he scoffed at this while turning away. The girl was basically blind now. The smirk on his face grew to a grin, and the scientist turned and walked away. Turning off the lights and locking the doors as he exited.  
  
And back in the now dim room, the young woman let out a small sound and tilted her head to the left. And then back. A small chi-inking sound came and the heavy metal and plastic helmet slipped off her head and fell to the floor behind her. Bright clear cerulean orbs blinked a few times as they got settled into being used once more. A soft look darted across her eyes and the locks and chains binding her sprang apart.  
  
"... freedom." The word was so soft that unless you had been looking for it, it wouldn't have been caught by ears. Not that she needed to whisper in a noise proof room.


	2. Escape

**Disclaimer**; Yeah, like I really own pokemon. If I owned it, the Colosseum RP would be much better... But I do own all original characters.

**A/N**; Wee, short chapters equals more! e.e

_Shinigami_; And Renegade finaly realizes this now.

**Renegade**; -Thwaps Shinigami upside the head- Moving on, here is the first chapter! Read and Review _please_.

_Shinigami_; -Mutters under his breath and glares about-

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Sephinraph sighed for the tenth time that day as she finaly finished getting the darn lock mechanisim to work in unlocking and letting the door open. Just because she could use her psychic powers for an extended time with weak projects such as unlocking doors, it still took alot out of her and the young woman was forced to lean against the cool metal and relax for a few moments. Strawberry blond hair fell over her face and Sephinraph let out yet another sigh while attempting to force the short hair to stay in place. Sephinraph wasn't even her real name. Once it had been Stephine Sky, but with all the tests and changes that she'd been forced to under go, her name had been changed. As her life had been.  
  
But now was not the time for moping about. Now was the time for escape. Gritting her teeth as she pulled on the reserves of the last of her psyche power for the day (if not week) and _felt_ for the object she needed to trigger. After testing lightly on a few things she found what was needed and gave a damn hard tug. A _Fzzit_ followed soon after and everything became pitch black for around five seconds. Then the emergency lights flickered on; Drowning everything and person in harsh red light and an evil sounding siren alerting that something was going on. A few people panicked, some screamed. Some even fainted. But there was nothing really wrong.  
  
Save the fact that their first test subject was breaking out and trying to escape with a few others they had been working the longest on.  
  
Cracking the door open slowly and wincing as it groaned, Sephinraph sighed as she took in the sight of an empty corridor before darting out from the room and shut the door behind her. Turning around slowly, and steading herself when she wobbled from the effort, Sephinraph took off in the direction she hoped was the correct one.  
  
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Rick sighed as he tugged half heartedly on the bars, almost expecting them to bend, give in to the tugs or something. This could be their one chance at escaping! A grunt escaped him as Rick tugged harder on the bars. Only to be disapointed when nothing more happened. "Aw man..." Rick moaned out and let his head fall down, brunette hair covering his face from view as his room mate let out a snort from behind him. Turning his head slightly, Rick shot Sol a glare. "Ah, shut it you prissy boy."  
  
Sol snorted and crossed his arms. Mint green eyes glinting in mirth and matching his equaly darker mint colored hair. Pointedly ignoring the red eyes of Rick, Sol stood up and cracked his knuckles. "Really, I thought you had a brain," Sol made a sniffing sound and looked as if he had been injured just thinking that, "why don't you have Amadeus over there burn his, and ultimatly our, way out of these dog kennels?"  
  
Rick scowled as he returned to tugging on the bars. "Because wonder boy over there has ignored us all from day one." He told Sol, jutting his chim out in an attempt to point at the person they were discussing.  
  
Amadeus only pushed a strand of black/violet hair out of his face, stoic green eyes focused on nothing as he stared straight ahead. Rick made a snort like sound as he gave up. "And besides, they have him too brainwashed to do anything but take orders."  
  
A sound of disapointment escaped Sol and was echoed my Rick, but any more moping was interupted by Luna as she threw the tin cup in her hand with uncanny acuracy at Rick, landing the tin cup right on his head and between the bars. "Would you two kindly shut up!? Some of us are trying to get beauty sleep!" A seething dark aura slithered and snaked about her, visible to the naked eye. And a warning that Luna was becoming pissed off.  
  
Her room mate, another girl about a year her senoir, lay slumped on the floor. Her skin was silvery in tone and her hair looked as if it was made of metal. Luna turned and stared at her roomie before rolling ebony eyes as the Steel controller snorted and rolled over, muttering under her breath. The scientists kept this one drugged up during confinment while with Adameus they had brainwashed into only taking their commands after a sequence of words.  
  
Rick rubbed his now sore head and muttered darkly under his breath when a sudden and sharp clatter of sounds filled the air. It died down shortly after and the sound of boots striking polished wood floors came to their ears. With baited breath they waited... and waited... and weren't disapointed when a security clad figure clomped into view. Looking exactly like... like..  
  
"Princess!?" Sol quiered from behind Rick, the name wasn't from some crush on the girl, as he really didn't think dating a possible risk of pyromania a good case for his health. Said person beamed at the nick name and Sephinraph waved a hand weakly before tromping over to Amadeus's holding cell. The older teenager didn't even give her a seconds worth of a glance. Infact he didn't glance at her at all when she halted infront of him and carefully reached up and grabbed a hold of his shirt. The hand shook violently untill it caught hold of the fabric and with a gentle tug the nearly seven foot tall man was now half bowed to the barely five foot woman. A slight whisper was caught by Luna as she was closest to the speaker, and it wasn't like Sephinraph whispered because she wanted too, or was hiding something from them. It was a by product of the _therapy_ done on her body. Before it had been refined into what it was now.  
  
She let go of his shirt and stepped away before pointing at the bars and it was like Amadeus came to life. Without even a thought he raised a hand and clasped it onto the bar. He then mirrored this with his left hand and started to power up his fire technique to melt the bars.  
  
"Seph," Luna started as she stared at the girl. "Why are you dressed like a rent-a-cop, and how did you escape?"  
  
Said teenager blushed slightly and found a spot on the floor more interesting. A hiss from Luna spured her into answering the demand and she mimed some of it, and then pointed at the clothes and offered the explanation as she had no other choice of clothing. Her only piece and choice of outer clothing had been a single one piece hospital gown like thing that was flame proof. But she kept the information as to why she was in the police get up a secret. Having them laugh at her for her somewhat naive antics was bad enough.  
  
It took only a few more moments for Amadeus to melt the bars before Sephinraph commanded him to melt the bars on the other two cells, releasing the rest of her 'squadron'. Amadeus barely let out a grunt at the minimal effort he had to do and went about the job as ordered by Seph. "Uh, Princess..." Sol began when the hulking form started to work on the bars that kept him and Rick captive after releasing Luna and Lin. "How and why is Amadeus answering to you?"  
  
Sephinraph sighed and pointed at Amadeus, then made acted as if she was holding a sheild and then a gun and then finaly pointed at herself. Sol and Rick stood silent for a few moments, brains trying to analize what Seph had mimed to them when Luna made a sound of disgust deep in her throat and hissed the answer out to them.  
  
"She said, he's her guardian! Now come on, Lin is Heavy." Luna muttered darkly as she tried to keep her grip on the girl, and was failing. As soon as Amadeus had removed more than three bars and had moved out of the way, Sol was shoved out by Rick before the lightning wielder followed the grass master in going to help Luna. A squeak interupted this as Seph darted from her position from the end of the corridor she had come down (a couple of the group wondered how she had managed to get from where she had been to there in the span of a few seconds) and the girl came moving as fast as her body would allow, waving her hands in the alarm signal.  
  
Security was coming and it was not the guards.


	3. Flight

**Disclaimer**; Pokemon does not belong to me. So evil Lawyers begon _-Hurls wards at the menacing figures-_

**Renegade Zero**; And here's the third chapter.... _-pokes the review bin and a dust bunny hops out-_

_Shinigami_; Ouch. That's harsh.

**Renegade Zero**; ... Anyways. Please review.

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Rick growled as Seph finally made it to the safety of behind the group, peering out from behind Luna as the first forms started to line up at the end of the hall, their steps slow and they moved as if one. Seph gave a whimper and shrank away from them. The dark ones, as she called them. Void of any humanity. Emotionial voids. "We can take them!" Rick snapped out as if he understood why Seph feared them. And as if to prove this as fact, the young man raised his hands up and shot out an electrical surge. The ball of sparking and sizzling energy surged forth in a blue and gold brilliance. And then came to a anti climatic halt five feet from the three shadowy forms as if it had smacked dead center into a wall of dirt. Seph gave Rick a look that said it all and the ninteen year old just shot down the look with one that said Don't rub it in.  
  
The trio at the end of the hall took a few more steps in sequence with the others that had started to file in. "So uh," Sol began as he started to slowly back away. "What do we do now?"  
  
It was Luna who answered that question. "We run like hell!" She declared and bolted to the other end of the corridor, dragging Lin's body along with her and Sol as the young man still had a grip on the unconsious one. Rick let out a startled curse and made his way after the three. Seph shot a look at Amadeus and the hulking mass of a man shifted his wieght and started after the others at a swift jog.  
  
Turning her head and letting a frown form, Seph drew herself up to her full hieght and crossed her arms. Ignoring how the pilfered clothing from the security guard threatend to fall off. Tossing her head slightly to the left, and ignoring as that same annoying lock of hair fell over her eyes once more. Seph stood waiting for something. And then it came.  
  
Like a dark snake slithering across desert sands, the tendril of thought poked at the barriers around her mind. She might not have been able to use her psychic powers for anything powerful, but a few terse conversations with it wouldn't tax her anymore than breathing would. It'd just leave her running on empty and needing to recover her power even more so.  
  
_"Running is futile Alpha One."_ The being stated to her in the back of her mind softly as he stepped out from behind his own sqaudron. Sephinraph sneered and showed off her sharper than normal teeth.  
  
_"That may be so, Beta One,"_ Sephinraph stressed the beta to show who was superior here and was rewarded by a snarl from the sub commander. _"You may be a Psychic with dark atributes, but I am the Fire."_ She finished, and as if to back it up, formed her right and left hands into fists as flames erupted from them. A dark and haunted look flitted over the other commander's eyes and he knew Sephinraph was using his fear of the pyre against him.  
  
Hissing the same a wet cat would, he drew back and hid behind his shield of a guardian. The Rock and Water master grunted and shifted his wieght forward. Just like Amadeus he was gigantic, but unlike Amadeus he was more dangerous as he was a killing machine where Amadeus had yet to learn what it was to kill others. But that was something almost everyone here knew all too well.  
  
And that included Sephinraph.  
  
Raising both her arms above her head Sephinraph let the attacks power up faster and hotter than she had ever forced herself to do as the great hulking human shifted his wieght a little more and started towards her at the yelling of his commander.  
  
It was only when Sephinraph launched the attack did the other realize he had just left himself wide open. It was the girls signature move: Blazing Tempest. It wasn't that it was the most powerful attack, (it was infact weaker than an ember from a new born Magby) but what it lacked in power it made up for in starting confusion and vieling things. Shion only had a few seconds to utter his scream of indignant rage before the seemingly harsh flames spread out like that of a tidal wave and washed over the group of five and the tank like human being.  
  
"You'll never be free! You'll be hunted down and killed!" Shion bellowed out as the attacker turned and started to stumble down the corridor in the direction the others had gone. The decleration only caused Sephinraph to halt for a few seconds, turn her head and give a grim grin.  
  
_"Freedom is worth any price, nearly."_ And with that mental comment, she slammed down her defence and started off after the others.  
  
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"Okay, we've passed that fire extinguisher five times. I can say it truthfully now. We are LOST!" Luna roared out over the sirens, Lin's snoring and that strange banging sound coming from somewhere...  
  
Rick only crossed his arms and scowled. "We aren't, I know my way around here perfectly. We'll be out in two shakes of a cabbits tail."  
  
Luna gave Rick a dry look before she glanced over at Seph who had finally managed to catch up with them and was just about doubled over from pain, exauhstion and her lack of psychic energy. "You okay kid?"  
  
Sephinraph nodded her head and forced a weak smile onto her face. Luna's expresion clearly showed the other woman did not buy into the act but didn't pressure the subject as the group tried to figure out where they were exactly.  
  
Sol then decided it was then to act dramatic. Clutching the still passed out Lin to his body (which surprised everyone but Amadeus as Lin was far heavier than Sol ever would be), the lad wailed out this was the end. They were lost, and going to die cold, alone and starving to death.  
  
Everyone but Amadeus stared at this out burst and it was Rick who finally got into gear again and kicked Sol in the rear. "We are not lost, just directionaly challanged. And we are also _**Not**_ going to die." Was snapped out as Rick stormed to the head of the group. And that was when things got worse.  
  
It seemed someone had tried to get the power back on, but instead of getting the place back on the normal power lines, all power was cut. Completely. As darkness was cast over their heads several things happened at once. Rick screamed like a ninny. Sol yelped in pain as Lin started to wake up and acidently leaned to much one way and caught his foot. And Then the shadows attacked.  
  
"Ah! What the bloody hells is going on!" Luna demanded as the darkness started to feel ansey as the dark hadn't started to recede and let light shine again. A slight shuffling sound caught Luna's attention and a small hand grabbed her own carefully. "It's alright Luna," came Seph's soft voice from the dark. "Amadeus can light the way, we will get out."  
  
"I sure hope so." Luna muttered as she felt Seph tug on her limb and pull her forwards where she then proceded to walk into Sol's back and send the kid tumbling over Lin. Several curses, explicit details on what actions someone was gonna do to the scientists and a yelp of pain filled the air and then went quiet as they started to distangle from eachother and stand up.  
  
Scratching at the back of his head, Rick made the comment of how were they going to get out. And if he had seen the evil looking smile on Sephinraph's face, he would have maybe thought over his desire to escape.  
  
"Amadeus," came Sephinraph's soft and rasping tone as she caught the hands of Sol and Luna who grabbed the others. "Make a door. Please."  
  
A grunt was her answer as Amadeus went to do as she asked him too. Even if it wasn't asked of him, he'd have to do it. It was ingrained he'd follow the whim of the commander. Or anyone else that knew the sequance that snapped him out of the stupor those scientists bade him into after every test, like the rest of the more dangerous of the splices.  
  
Brows furrowed as he concentrated on his energy and a ball of fire started to form, illuminating himself and then the rest as it continued to grow before he finaly hurled it at a wall and the five behind him gasped as a hole around ten feet in diameter was torn through the steel and concrete before slamming another hole in the next wall and so on and so forth for about five more walls. And on the final one, the night sky met their gazes.  
  
Tears clung to Sol's eyes as he hugged the person nearest him. "We're free!"  
  
Rick made a face as he shoved Sol off of himself. "Not yet, but nearly." He muttered and started to jog to the hole leading out. Rick was soon followed by the rest of the group and they made their way out of the building, standing side by side roughly and blinked owlishly in the bright light of the moon. Lin, still out of it nearly, giggled and tried to reach up and capture the moon. Sol let out a shout and was drowned out by Luna as she attacked him, trying to shut him up. But it was already too late.  
  
A howl from the other side of the building rose in the air. Soon followed by another and another.  
  
"Shit! Houndooms! Damnit all, I knew this wasn't going to work!" Rick spat out as he turned an accusing glare at Sephinraph. Only to recive a warning growl from Amadeus and Rick backed off and quieted down. Luna looked around and kept the ever closing in howls in mind as she pointed off in a direction. "Come on, if we move fast enough we can make it to the river."  
  
"And how fast do we gotta move." Rick demanded as he and Sol were forced to help a still drugged up Lin to stand. Luna's expression turned dark and her eyes grew weary. "Five miles."  
  
"Man, if I didn't say it before, I'll say it now. This sucks!"  
  
"Yes, we know it. Now move it!" Luna snapped out and bolted forward, closely followed by Amadeus whom was now dragging a startled Sephinraph behind him. Rick and Sol exchanged a glance that said 'Why us' as they were stuck with La-la land girl when three howls rang out behind them. This time they were difenitly closer.  
  
"Wait for us!" Sol cried out as he and Rick leaped forward, tugging and dragging Lin with them.


	4. Survival

**_And here is the fourth chapter. Once again I do not own pokemon, although I own all original characters. Please Read and Review._**

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It was a mad flight of a run. Tree's and ferns faded into one green blur that was marred by fallen branches or stumps. The chilly night air was also cut several times by the howls of the hunters that chased them. The terrors of the night. Houndoom. Feared by even other dark types, Houndoom were said to be the deadliest dark type by far. With incredible speed, attack and dominence with special attacks. Few things could stand up to them.  
  
And not even the Splices could. Not at less then half power and with the stress of the escape pounding on their souls without mercy. Their feet drummed up a symphony that only they understood and marched too. The future's path ahead of them was dark, but what they left behind was darker still.  
  
A bone chilling howl rang out in the dead like night air, followed by several others. Curses followed from the humans that were being pursued, but they could do nothing save the mad dash of freedom they were already coming down from. The high of victory was slowly crashing into the ground of defeat.  
  
"Come on!" Luna shouted from the head of the group, throwing her gaze over her shoulders to take in the sight of everyone scrambling behind her, trying to keep up as they too plowed through the undergrowth and low hanging branches of tree's. Even if it had been daylight, it'd still have caused them some trouble. But they were having to plunge through the forest at night, with a three or more pack of Houndoom's chasing after them. "We have to keep moving!"  
  
Rick panted for breath as he was now the lone person lugging Lin, who was on his back and drooling on Rick's shoulder in her sleep. Sweat beaded upon his brow and rolled down, dripping off his chin to land on the mossy ground or his now damp shirt. Lin was heavier then she looked! And it didn't help he was forced to run just to move his legs fast enough to jog forward, and he could swear the Houndoom were getting closer. Rick blearily blinked his eyes and wished that the scene before him was that of a girl, and not of the hulking Amadeus as the large man still continued to haul Sephinraph along, and he felt a slight pang of worry, the girl was looking worse for wear than anyone else of the motly group.  
  
A muffled shriek came from the back of the group as Sol suddenly rushed past Rick, nearly sending him sprawling to be squashed by Lin, past and around Amadeus and over to Luna. "Luna!" He yelled and grabbed onto her arm, half formed words and gibberish escaping him. Glancing down at Sol, Luna tried to pull him off. "Sol, what the hell is wrong with you?"  
  
Sol's only answer was a muttering of gibberish as he dragged her back and to the now stilled group. Even the Houndoom's howls had been silenced. Grunting, Rick let Lin slip to the ground and streched, cracking his back with the noise of a falling tree. Struggling, Sephinraph was able to get Amadeus to let go of her so she could stand (aibit wobbly) on her own as the silence started to feel thick and heavy in the air. Luna suddenly took note of this and looked around as Sol finaly let go of her arm. "What... what's going on?" She asked, a slight edge of fright in her tone.  
  
Sol shook and he was so pale, he could have been mistaken for a ghost. But as the scent of something on the wind was picked up by the others, they started to feel the fear that their grass afiliated counterpart was going through. "What is it?" Luna questioned Sol. The mint green eyes of the boy were as wide as possible, wild fear running rampant in the storm of emotion that flickered in them. And one word, holding all that Sol feared left his mouth.  
  
"Fire."  
  
"What are we going to do!?" Rick gasped out as he doubled over, even though the fire wasn't anywhere near them yet, it seemed. Even if they ran flat out, it would still overtake them, and catch them in it's merciless flames.  
  
Luna looked grim, and turned her gaze back to where they were heading. "We run flat out. To the river, it's our only hope."  
  
"But-" Sol was cut off as Luna whirled on him.  
  
"Do you want to Die!?" Luna demanded and grabbed him by the front of the shirt, shaking him a few times before letting go and dropping him to the ground with a light thump. "Now come on!"  
  
As they moved to follow, Sephinraph dodged Amadeus's grab for her, and pointed at Lin and Sol, both of whom where in no condition to be hauled by Rick on his own, giving a small flash of a smile she darted after Luna as the girl was already starting to disappeare into the tree's again as the rest started to get moving and follow.  
  
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"Hurry hurry." Sol hissed out from his position over Amadeus's shoulder as they ran the last few hundred yards in a flat out run, the roar of the fire was now filling the air and the glow it was causing was rival to that of the sun's as it approached from behind them and to the right and left. Showing that they would soon be caught if they didn't hurry. For it was becoming something that was feared by even water pokemon. A Firestorm. Something so deadly and wild that nothing, not even rock and steel could escape unphased.  
  
Luna was the first to reach the water's edge and stumbled to a halt as Rick only managed not to fall into the water as he just collapsed. Sol moaned from Amadeus's shoulder as Lin snored on while Sephinraph brought up the rear. Luna stared out into the water and cried, it was too deep, they were to weak and they didn't have time to try and find a shallower pass. Chewing her lower lip, the spent Sephinraph looked at Amadeus and then at the water and finaly back again before turning her head over to Luna and the others. Narrowing her eyes and nodding her head once she turned and stalked over to Amadeus, calling him to attention as she drew near. The man snapped his head up and looked intently at Sephinraph as she halted before him.  
  
Raising one slightly shaking arm, Sephinraph pointed at the river, and murmured under her breath and then pointed at the others and continued on as she finished while pointing to the other side. Barely giving a nod of his head, Amadeus dropped Sol and Lin to the ground, reciving a grunt of sleepy pain from one and a choked out cry of fear from the other. Grunting, Amadeus lumbered over to where Luna and Rick lay nearly unmoving on the ground and raised both hands up into the air, straight out paralle to the ground. Closing his eyes while slowing his breathing, the man soon had a chilly neon blue and white glow surrounding his hands before it shot out and streamed over the water and through the air, finaly striking home on the bank. As the bright flash died down, a bridge made of ice was left in it's place. Feeling out of breath somewhat, Amadeus reached down and grabbed onto one of Rick and Luna's arms and dragged them with him as he started across the bridge, sweat collecting on his clothing as the heat from the fire, even with it still far away started to press down on them like a heavy and dangerous blanket.  
  
"Come on," Sephinraph whispered out softly as she pulled on Sol's arm. But the boy stayed on the ground, whimpering in terror and only glanced behind Sephinraph and yelped.  
  
A tingle of something ran down her spine and she slowly stood up. Turning, Sephinraph caught sight of what had started the fire. It was a Magmar splice, one of the earlier works and about just as mentally stable as he was beautiful. Unlike the later works, he was a true splice; half human half magmar and not all sane.  
  
The humanoid face was pulled into a nasty scowl and a bulky and bumpy tail swung back and forth scattering sparks left and right. Four fingered (and clawed) hands were up and ready to tear anything apart as a molten looking twisted foot came up and set down on the grass, instantly sending it up in flames from the heat. Turning her head Sephinraph saw that Amadeus was coming back, he had dropped the others and shoved them, using the ice to keep them moving towards the other bank as he came back to do what he had been made to do. Protect the Alpha. Scowling Sephinraph pointed at Sol and Lin and gave the visual command of getting them first. Snapping her gaze back at the splice before her she tapped into her reserves and strode forth, body shaking from fear and near exuastion.  
  
A garbled roar filled her ears as the Splice before her charged, one hand cocked back and flames already surrounding it while the air that was around the Magmar splice shimmered from the heat. Ducking and rolling to the left, Sephinraph swung her right foot out and caught the spliced freak by surprise and sent it tumbling to the ground. Wincing as cuts and bruises let themselves be known to her, the young woman quickly scrambled as fast as she could to her feet. Swinging her eyes about the terrain before her, Sephinraph didn't spot the splice. Blinking in confusion she let her guard drop and was taken by surprise from behind as the Splice punched her in the back and sent her flying forward. Crying in pain she hit the ground and bounced, rolled and then came to a stop on her side. Giving a whimper she curled into a fetal position and felt the heat as the magmar splice approached.  
  
Amadeus could only watch as he dragged Lin and Sol away, he had to do as her was bid by the girl, but that didn't mean he was totaly brainless. His hand tightened threateningly around the shirt of Sol as he dragged the two over to the ice bridge and then across it as the Splice Magmar suddenly halted, as if realizing Sephinraph wasn't the only one there. The head turned and saw Amadeus dragging the other two with him, then slid past him and saw Luna and Rick struggling to stand. Then with cold determination they turned back to Sephinraph and she was picked up as if she wieghed no more than a feather. _'No..'_ Amadeus thought, horrified. But before anyone could react the flames fell down around the other side of the stream. With an explosion that would rival several sticks of dynamite stuck in a cannon, the world around them exploded and the five were sent flying into the forest to land, pass out and heal somewhat while they slept in their comatose like states where they had fallen. The horrors of moments ago lost in the dreamless sleep that had captures them all.


	5. Into the Fire

**_Disclaimer; I Don't own pokemon, nor anything related. All original characters belong to me._**

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"Got you." A reptilian like voice gloated and Sephinraph felt a hot hand clasp over her throat and heft her up into the air as if she were a pebbel in weight. "You are _nothing_." The Magmar splice hissed, evil glee in it's voice as it's eyes glinted and reflected the fire that was rearing up, readying itself to crash down in a mighty wave over the two. "Now you die!" He gloated and the fire fell. And so didn't the darkness.  
  
It felt like an eternity before she surfaced again. Everything hurt, it felt as if her nerves had been left in the open and baked in heat for five days. A whimper escaped her and Sephinraph went to crack an eye open, only to find darkness still awaited her. Fear gripping her mind, she threw the pain to the back of her hazed mind and reached out with her right hand and arm as the other was pinned 'neath her. Intense waves drove up the right arm and a choked out scream tore it's way from her lips and her body shook from the after waves of pain, and the heat from burns on her body. Her questing fingers finaly found something in all the hot ash. Only a foot or so away lay something hard, and stiff. Another pained whimper escaped her as her finger tips brushed over it, revealing to her what it really was as she reached the top of it.  
  
It was a skull. Malformed and devoid of any flesh. It was the magmar splices' skull.  
  
A sob wrenched it's way past her dry and tight throat. She was going to die, all alone. Die in pain and darkness and no one would know. She felt the tears prick at her eyes, wanting to be released as she lay there, dying and wallowing in pain, fear and loneliness.  
  
Due to this, she hadn't picked up the soft sound of feet treading over ashes untill something gently stroked her face. Starting, she yelped as the movement caused fire to etch itself a way up her back and a dull aching burn settled on where ash was pushed into many of the open wounds that flurished.  
  
"Se... Sephinraph." The voice came, strained and sounding a forced calm as the hand once more touched her face, brushing the singed hair out of the way. "... 'deus?" Sephinraph's voice sounded so childlike and fragile even to her own ears. A grunt was her answer as the hand moved away from her face and helped the other in gently picking her broken form up and cradeling her in a blanket of protection as Amadeus turned and started back to where the others stood, their own various wounds in need of care, but they each knew Sephinraph wasn't the only one in the most danger, as Sol was in a state of shock, having withdrawn into himself from all the pain that was radiating out of the forest.  
  
"Is... is she alive?" Luna asked, eyes dark from her own pain and the emotional conflict at seeing the others in pain just as great, or greater. Amadeus dragged his gaze from Sephinraph to Luna, the green eyes of his were cold and emotionless before he gave a single nod of his head. Rick stumbled over to where Luna and Amadeus stood, red eyes narrowed as he kept his right hand glued to his left arm as the limb continued to bleed through his fingers, the fluid of life slowy trailed down his fingers and arms to end by dripping off of him and falling to the ashen ground before.  
  
Lin seemed to be the most whole of the group, as she only had light scratches and cuts on her arms and legs. Looking from person to person, her silver eyes and slightly metalic brown hair caught the light of the moon and gave an errie look and glow to her. "What are we going to do?" She questioned no one in paticular.  
  
Rick narrowed his pain filled eyes as he thought it over. "We keep going." He turned and started to walk away, not caring if the others followed him or not. Luna and Lin exchanged a glance before the steel girl gave a nod of her head and carefully started to lead Sol as she followed after Rick. Luna turned to Amadeus. "Amadeus, come." She snapped out and turned briskly, not waiting to see if the giant form followed after her.  
  
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_Sephinraph could hear voices... mutted voices.  
  
"We're losing her doctor!"  
  
"Put in ten more CC's of Tian, and five of the morphine. We need to keep her out cold untill we're done."  
  
"But-"  
  
The Doctor waved his hand as he shifted the scaple back to the girl. "The Tian will keep her alive, the morphine will counter act and keep her sleeping."  
  
The faint pain of a needle being jabbed into her arm woke Sephinraph up more, her eyes flickered. Wait, she wasn't Sephinraph, she was... she was.. Tobias Avest..._  
  
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Sephinraph's eyes flew open and she struggled to escape Amadeus's arms, strangled cries escaping her throat as her unseeing eyes were glued to some point far off and her mind was unable to escape the darkness as no light penitrated it, dragging her back down into the horrible memory.  
  
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_Tobias looked around, eyes wide and filled with a drugged confusion. The nurses and doctor halted everything as they heard the whimper from the child underneath the blade. Cursing, the doctor turned his gaze onto the nurse. "I said the Morphine before the Tian!"  
  
The nurse stuttered as she reached for the morphine but her hands shook to much and the vial and needle slipped and crashed to the ground. Tobias's eyes darted around, the young girl was confused as to where she was. Everything was such a harsh white. And.. why did something seem very wrong about the whole situation? The whimper of a familur pokemon filled her ears. "Vu... vul..." Tobias gasped out, her head moved and her investigating went un noticed as the doctor continued to yell and scream and rave on about stupid nurses. Lying on a table about three feet from her, was Vulpix and Girafarig. Needles and tubing stuck every which way and place out of them. Both had their eyes open and were alive, barely. Tobias's eyes dialated and her heart stopped beating for a second.  
  
In that second she knew everything they knew. Felt everything they felt. Everything they were, she had become, as the nurse in an attempt to escape the doctor's wrath had knocked into the machine that had been pumping out the blood of her pokemon, that stood poised to filter it and shove it into her body. And in that second it did it's job with a gusto.  
  
"Shit! We can't loose the specimen pokemon! Not this soon!" The Doctor yelled out and turned his back from the girl.  
  
_{Toby... help?} _Tobias felt tears streaming down her face as a silent howl tore it's way like a demon from her mind as she did the only thing she knew that she could do. Grabbing onto the pulsing she felt that now lay inside her, she pushed, wanting to answer the soft plea from her Girafarig. And then the world erupted in flames....  
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"-ap her! Snap her out of it!" Luna yelled out as Sephinraph now found herself in the present as a resounding smack of flesh hitting flesh rang out in the air. For a moment everything was silent and then the girl let out a pain filled, heart wrenching moan of sorrow.  
  
"Ama-am-am-_deuuuuus_." Seph cried out as she clung to the person she took for Amadeus when it was Lin instead. Burying her head into the shirt of the person as more tears slipped and fell from her eyes. Pain old and new assualted her, but for once Sephinraph did not care. Because she was most likely going to die anyways, she knew how bad her wounds were, to an extent atleast anyways. And without imidiate help she was most likely going to perish.  
  
Lin looked shocked before slowly wrapping her arms around the girl and shushing her like a mother would. Carefully rubbing the girl's head, Lin looked up and over at Luna. "She need's help." Luna only nodded and looked over at the boys as they rested. "I know, but where can we go to get her help?"  
  
Lin's responce was cut away as a small cry alerted them that something was there. Two heads snapped in the direction of the call as a small felidae-esque pokemon approached them, one tail was singed badly and it limped, showing off an old battle wound. The fur underneath the ears had started to grey and silver from age as the normaly amythist eyes had turned a dark cobalt blue from age. "Eoo_on_." The old pokemon uttered softly, looking up at the humans, blinking it's eyes slowly while shifting it's wieght about on it's delicate paws. Luna looked over at Lin. "It can't hurt."  
  
Blinking her eyes, Lin agreed and set Sephinraph down, ignoring the soft cries of protest as her hands were wrenched away from the shirt and she was taken from the warmth. The Espeon purred sparringly deep in his chest before walking up to where the girl's head lay and looked down at her. Turning his body and gaze he slowly pulled himself up untill he was standing on the girls chest and turned around while curling up at the same time, bringing his face into view of her's once more. The dimming ruby orb on his forhead flickered as he closed his eyes...


End file.
